Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.
Psalms 78:41
God had a plan for Israel but was unable to bring it to pass because of the limitations they put on Him through their thinking!
We have spent some time discussing how traditions and the idea that God sovereignly controls our lives limit His ability to bring His plan for us to pass.
I believe that the extreme sovereignty teaching that has become so prevalent today is one of the greatest faith killers. Why would a person want to seek God if He just sovereignly controls everything?
People talk about sickness being God’s will and then go to the doctor to be relieved of their pain. I cannot help but wonder why they seek medical help if they really believed that He put the sickness on them?
I believe that ministers find comfort in the sovereignty doctrine because it allows them the opportunity to dodge responsibility for not having all of the answers. If a person dies that they prayed for it is easier to blame God then to take responsibility for not having the faith to release the healing power of God.
“We don’t know why God took your father.”
“I’m sorry that you lost your child. God needed them more than you did.”
Statements like these do not comfort people. There are many who have turned away from God out of anger at Him for cutting a loved ones life short.
God has a plan for us. We can blame Him for our issues and make excuses for our lives but the bottom line is that we are the only ones who limit His ability to operate in our lives. We must cooperate with Him and seek Him if our desire is to see His will come to pass.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28
God can anything that happens and turn it around for good but that does not mean He caused it. He can turn anything the devil throws at us into something amazing but we must put our trust in Him and rest in His promises.
Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
Ephesians 5:14
Paul was not talking about physical death in this verse. There are a lot of Christians living almost as if they are in a stupor. They just go through life wasting time.
The word “amusement” comes to mind when I read this verse and think of people being in a stupor. The word “muse” means “to think” If you “muse” on the things of God you are thinking and meditating on them. When we put “a” in front of a word we will negate it. “Amuse” then is the opposite of thinking. In a sense we could say that it is a state of non thinking or a state where you are not using your brain.
Most people do not want to sit down and study the Bible when they come home from work. They have been using their brain all day and want to sit in front of the television to be “amused”. This is much easier but it is also wasted time.
Our society has become consumed with the idea of being “amused”. Parents will plop their kids down in front of the television to get them out of their hair for awhile. Kids are constantly being entertained and do not have to use their imaginations.
Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Ephesians 5:14-16
No one will debate the fact that we are living in ungodly times. It actually seems like things are going in the wrong direction further away from the light. We must learn to redeem the time given to us if we have any hope of fulfilling the plan of God.
Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
Ephesians 5:16
Paul tells us one way we can redeem the time in verse 16. We can turn this Scripture around:
- An unwise person does not know what the will of God is for their life.
- It is foolish to not understand what the will of God is.
The average person in the body of Christ does not seem to have a clear understanding of what God’s will and purpose is for their lives.They just pursue the opportunities that life throws at them. Someone offers them a job and they stay there for their entire career without knowing if that is God’s plan.
People let circumstances guide their lives and then ask God to bless what they are doing. I’ve had people ask me to pray that God would bless what He has called them to do. If He tells us to do something there will be an anointing on us to step out and do it!
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